Stark's party
by LilaLuna12
Summary: Wanda's getting ready to attend her first party with the Avengers, and she can count on Natasha's help and reassurance. Mostly fluff - One-shot


Hello everyone, it's me again !

This story kind of follows "Once the battle is over", as I decided to not do a multiple chapters fic, but several smaller one as I want to do many parts but I haven't settled on an order yet. So you can read it as a sequel or independently, it doesn't really matter and doesn't keep you from understanding what is happening here.

English is still not my first language and I still don't own anything that's in there, only maybe the idea.

Enjoy !

* * *

Wanda Maximoff was nervous. She was even more than nervous, she was terrified. Tonight, would be the first party she would attend as an Avenger, and maybe the first party she had ever been invited to, excluding one kid's birthday party when she was five.

But when Tony had realized that at seventeen, she had never experienced a real party, he had planned this evening and told her that it would be "a night to remember". His words, not hers.

She was pacing in her room at the tower, when she heard a knock on her door, followed by a voice she knew very well.

"Wanda, can I come in?"

With a flick of the wrist, the door opened, and Natasha Romanov came in, her hair as fiery as ever, bouncing on her shoulders.

"I figured you didn't have anything to wear for tonight, so I wondered if you wanted to go dress shopping with me this afternoon. I also could use a new dress."

Wanda considered it for a minute. She had rarely been out of the tower and even less in places as public as a mall or any kind of shop. Natasha seemed to pick up on what was bothering her.

"I swear everything will be fine, I'll stay with you the whole time."

Wanda smiled and finally agreed to the shopping trip.

They decided to go after a light meal, so they wouldn't have to stop on the way to get something to eat. They both put on their jacket, as the spring air was still a little chilly and went out. Natasha had asked Wanda if she wanted to take a cab or walk to the mall, and Wanda had preferred the latter, saying that since she didn't go out that often, she should at least enjoy every bit of fresh air she could get.

They walked slowly, talking lightly. It felt good not to be in a rush, to enjoy little things, even as simple as walking in the streets.

They arrived twenty minutes later, and Wanda stopped for a second at the entrance of the mall. There were even more people walking in and out that there was in the street, and she really didn't like crowded places. Natasha stopped as well and stepped in front of her, looking directly in her eyes.

"Wanda, it's okay, it's just people doing their shopping just like us, no one will hurt you, I'll be there all the time."

Wanda nodded and took a deep breath. Once that she was sure, that she wouldn't break or have a panic attack or anything, Natasha turned around once more and started walking towards the entrance. Wanda followed, staying really close to the redhead. She ended up grabbing her hand, clinging to it and letting herself be led through the crowd. Natasha didn't mind, and held on Wanda's small and lean fingers, feeling the rings and the cold of her hand.

Wanda kept her head low as they slid along people, towards a still unknown destination, at least to her.

But soon enough, they came to a stop and Wanda lifted her eyes. They were in front of a shop, in a secluded part of the mall. She hadn't even notice while walking that they were surrounded by less and less people.

"Are we there?" Wanda asked, turning her gaze to the redhead

"Yes, that's where I usually come to go shopping. They have plenty of stuff and not many people know about it. Shall we?"

Wanda nodded and let Natasha's hand go, but still following her closely as she entered the shop. She was right, the shop didn't have many people inside.

"Okay, honey, let's start with you. What kind of dress would you like to wear tonight?"

Wanda shrugged, looking up shyly. She never really had a choice about what to wear. In Sokovia, they wore whatever clothes Pietro managed to steal. There wasn't time to be difficult, or picky. However, she knew that she preferred dresses.

Natasha seemed to pick on her hesitation.

"Okay then, let's have a look around."

Once again, she allowed herself to be led through the aisles. Every now and then, Natasha picked out a dress from a shelf and held it for her.

The first one was a long dress, purple without sleeves.

"Too Clint." Wanda said, with a scrunch of her nose.

Natasha laughed and put it back.

"You're right, no purple then."

The spy was glad that Wanda felt comfortable enough with her to tell her real opinion. The last thing she wanted was Wanda wearing something she didn't like just to please her.

The next dress was a shorter one, black and form-fitting.

"Too tight"

"Okay, so far, we know you'd prefer something flowy, and not purple. See? It's progress."

Wanda smiled at that. She was starting to enjoy herself.

They went on until they had ruled out the too long dresses, every color that look too close to purple, pink and orange, and every dress that was too girly and too puffy (Wanda's words).

Both of them were laughing by now, with Natasha taking upon herself to make a point of picking the ugliest dress she could find every now and then.

Finally, they made their way to the changing room for Wanda to try on the three dresses they had selected.

The first one was a deep, emerald green, that just reached her knees, with short sleeves and a lovely sweet-heart neckline, complimented by some beads. Wanda liked it but when she turned around, she saw that the backless dress didn't cover much of her scars and she didn't want to have them on display, as it would only raise questions and maybe trigger some memories if she caught a glimpse at them in a mirror without being prepared.

Still she pushed the curtain open to show Natasha.

She smiled when she saw the dress but tilted her head in confusion when she saw Wanda's face. Without explaining, Wanda turned around, showing her the back of the dress.

Natasha understood and the smiled returned.

"Then, we now have one more restriction: no backless dress."

That made Wanda smiled too. She was glad that she didn't comment or made her talk about it. Just before she could shut the curtain, Natasha went just a bit closer and whisper to the young girl:

"Just so you know, you still look beautiful."

Wanda looked at her eyes, and only saw caring, and not the pity she was used to seeing. The young girl felt overwhelmed by a rush of emotion and gratitude towards the older woman standing before her. And before her brain could process it, she flung herself in the redhead's arms, that stumbled backwards before gaining back her footing and closing her arms around the smaller girl, holding her tight around her tiny waist.

"Thank you" Wanda whispered in Natasha's ear.

She didn't answer but held on tighter, still careful not to apply to much pressures on Wanda's back.

"Let's try another one, sweetheart." Natasha said once Wanda had let her go.

She smiled and closed the curtain behind her. She had only been waiting for a few minutes when Wanda opened the curtain again. She was wearing a light blue dress, highlighted with white lace at the hem and at the neckline.

When Natasha saw her clad in blue like that, she couldn't help but think about Pietro. The resemblance was striking like that as the color gave her features the same aura it gave Pietro. Wanda had seen it too, and only shook her head, looking down at herself in an expression the spy couldn't decipher.

It was a beautiful dress, but it wasn't the one. Not yet, at least. Maybe one day she would be able to wear something like that, even want to, but it was too soon.

"Last one then". Natasha said, not losing her cheerfulness. Wanda was grateful for that.

For the last time she closed the curtain and took off the dress, setting it carefully on the hanger next to the mirror. She put on the last dress and went out.

Natasha looked at her up and down before settling on her face.

"Well, I think we found the one."

"Yes, I think we did."

The dress Wanda was now wearing was dark red, made of light satiny fabric that flew around her at every movement and caught the light. It hugged her bust and waist and flared out to her mid-thigh. The V-neck was low enough to be elegant, but not too low to be indecent. The straps were thin and joined the back of the dress made of flowery lace, thick enough to hide the maze of scars underneath.

Wanda twirled, and the skirt of the dress flew around her. She giggled like a child. She felt like one actually, a little girl who was offered a new dress and tried it on for the first time.

"I know we said we should try to find you something that wasn't red for once, but I definitely think that this is your color."

Natasha couldn't hide the grin on her face, Wanda's excitement was contagious, and she couldn't help laughing with her as she twirled again.

"Yes, then red again it is, I don't mind, I like this color anyway. Now it's your turn!"

Wanda was almost as excited to pick something for Natasha than she was for herself, even if she wasn't really up to it at the beginning. She didn't regret coming along. She had had more fun than she had in a long time.

"Mine will be easier, I know what I want already"

"And what do you want?"

"Something long, black or green and no lace."

Wanda nodded and went back to the changing room to put back on the black cotton dress and the jacket she wore to come. Natasha was waiting for her and took the red dress from her to give it to a shop worker to have it ready at the check-out.

They headed back to the aisles to find Natasha's dress. She was right, the process was much faster than with Wanda. Natasha knew exactly what she liked, and what she didn't. It took only one trip to the changing room to find the perfect dress. It was a floor-length gown, that hugged her body in all the right places, with silvery highlights at the neckline and the waist. It was perfect and fitted her just as perfectly. Wanda was in awe of Natasha from the moment she went out of the changing room to show her the result.

"I wish I could be like you" she said in a low voice but wide eyes.

"Oh sweetheart, you're so much better than me"

Wanda wasn't convinced but didn't say anything else. Natasha put her clothes back on and they headed to the check-out point to pay.

"It's on Tony" Natasha said when she saw Wanda go for her purse. Wanda hesitated for a second and shrugged. Either way, it would be on Tony, as he was the one paying them. But since he offered, she might as well go with it.

They grabbed their bags, one for each dress so they wouldn't be rumpled and went out of the store.

Natasha suggested that they go for a drink, but Wanda declined. There were still so many people in the hallways, she didn't really want to stay more than what she had to.

"But we could still make something at the tower" she said hesitantly.

"Of course, we can. Let's go now so we have time to prepare for tonight."

They walked to the tower and the way back seemed much shorter to Wanda.

Half an hour later, they were at the table in the living room of the Avengers quarters, with each a drink and some biscuits to share. They chatted lightly about the party, who would be there, what they would have to do in the morning.

Some of their teammates came in the room and asked them to show their purchase, but they answered that they would have to wait for tonight to see their dresses.

An hour later, it was time for them to start getting dressed so they wouldn't be late to the party.

They decided to prepare together, Natasha telling Wanda that it was what young girls should do with their friends, so since she was her only female friend and that she should have at least some normality in her life, they should do it together. Wanda was more than happy to oblige.

"Hey, do you think you have shoes I could borrow?"

"I knew we had forgotten something. But yes, help yourself, they should fit you"

"Thanks, can you help me choose?"

They settled on a pair of simple black heels, that were comfortable yet elegant and went perfectly with the dress. Natasha did her own make-up and then Wanda's, making it lighter than what she was used to wearing. It was a nice change and suited her, making her look younger. The young woman had confessed to Natasha that it was exactly the point of wearing that much eye-liner, because in Sokovia's streets, the younger you look, the more in danger you are.

At 8pm sharp, they were finally ready. But before they could move downstairs to welcome their first guests, Natasha grabbed Wanda's hand.

"I have one more thing for you. I know it was too soon they wear a blue dress, but maybe you could wear that instead."

She went to her vanity and came back with a small, velvet box that she gave to Wanda. Inside, she saw a necklace that was made of a delicate thin golden chain and a pendant. It was two-faced. On one side, it was a red stone, circled by a gold ring, and the other side, a blue stone with a silver ring.

She knew that Pietro would always be with her, in her heart, but it was still nice to have something that would physically remind her of him.

Wanda's eyes began to water but before a tear could fall down her cheek, Natasha put her hands on her face, and brushed her thumbs just under her eyes.

"Hey, no tears now, you'll ruin your make-up"

Wand laughed and looked up to meet the spy's bright green orbs.

"Thank you it's perfect" she whispered, caressing the blue stone. "Can you put it on me?"

"Which side?"

"The blue one."

Natasha fastened it around her neck and turned her around. It fell perfectly between the two necklaces she was already wearing.

"Now you're perfect. We should go, trust me, we don't want Tony alone with our guests."

Wanda nodded, and they made their way downstairs to the common room, ready to enjoy Wanda's first party.


End file.
